1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle which is composed of various components that are simultaneously molded of polymeric organic synthetic resin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,158 discloses a buckle of synthetic resin comprising a base plate having a pair of side flanges with respective bearing holes, and a locking hook having a pair of pivot pins fitted respectively in the bearing holes. The base plate and the locking hook are separately molded by injection molding, and they are combined together by putting the pivot pins respectively into the bearing holes.
Another buckle of synthetic resin disclosed in each of Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publications Nos. 61-102109 and 61-102110 also comprises a base plate and a locking hook. The base plate and the locking hook are however simultaneously injection-molded in a single mold while they are placed substantially in a plane with pivot pins on the base plate being fitted respectively in bearing holes in the locking hook. Since the buckle is molded in a single process, it is not necessary to combine or assemble the base plate and the locking hook at a later time.
With the known buckles referred to above, the difference between the inside diameter of the bearing holes and the outside diameter of the pivot pins is selected to be considerably larger for manufacturing reasons than would be if the pivot pins were closely fitted in the bearing holes. Since there is a relatively large gap between the base plate and the locking hook, therefore, the locking hook tends to wobble laterally with respect to the base plate. As a result, when a belt coupled to the buckle is fastened, belt ends coming together, one over the other, across the buckle are liable to be positionally displaced, making the fastened belt unsightly.